Christie’s Hong Kong Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Department Presents: A Connoisseur’s Studio - The Cissy and Robert Tang Collection of Chinese Classical Furniture

Encompassing a diverse array of forms and functions, this elegant collection features distinguished Chinese furniture, including armchairs, bookcases, screens, cabinets, tables and stools, as well as refined scholarly objects. Each item resonates with Tang’s insightful eye and a curatorial philosophy steeped in intellectual curiosity. In these cherished pieces, one senses a profound respect for artistry and a heartfelt reverence for the past, bearing witness to the refined taste and passion of a discerning collector.

Many of the pieces in the collection were acquired from esteemed dealers and cherished lifelong friends, including Robert Ellsworth, Cola Ma, and Ho Cheung. Their trusted relationships and expertise guided Tang in the 1980’s and 1990’s when there was a steady influx of huanghuali furniture into Hong Kong. As a seasoned collector in various fields, Tang appreciated the exquisite artistry and craftmanship, and selected the finest examples available at the time.

Marco Almeida, Head of Department, Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, shared his personal admiration for the collection, saying, "Having witnessed Tang’s passion and connoisseurship first-hand, the diversity and beauty of the huanghuali furniture in this collection is outstanding. The dedicated Chinese furniture sale of Tang’s collection not only celebrates his discerning taste and devotion to collecting, but also further underlines the strong desirability for this category, as witnessed at Christie’s New York Asian Art Week in March 2023, and at our Hong Kong sales last Autumn in 2022. This Spring, we sincerely invite Chinese furniture enthusiasts and collectors from around the globe to join our previews and auction in Hong Kong, to discover and appreciate the intricate craftsmanship and timeless beauty of this classical furniture collection.”

About Christie’s

Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business. Renowned and trusted for its expert live and online auctions, as well as its bespoke private sales, Christie’s offers a full portfolio of global services to its clients, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s has a physical presence in 46 countries, throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, with flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. It also is the only international auction house authorized to hold sales in mainland China (Shanghai).

Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $200 to over $100 million. Christie’s has sold 8 of the 10 most important single-owner collections in history, including the Paul G. Allen Collection—the most valuable collection ever offered at auction (November 2022). In recent years, Christie’s has achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction (Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, 2017), for a 20th century artwork (Andy Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn, 2022) and for a work by a living artist (Jeff Koons’ Rabbit, 2019). 

Christie’s Private Sales offers a seamless service for buying and selling art, jewellery and watches outside of the auction calendar, working exclusively with Christie’s specialists at a client’s individual pace.

Recent innovations at Christie’s include the groundbreaking sale of the first NFT for a digital work of art ever offered at a major auction house (Beeple’s Everydays, March 2021), with the unprecedented acceptance of cryptocurrency as a means of payment. As an industry leader in digital innovation, Christie’s also continues to pioneer new technologies that are redefining the business of art, including use of hologram technology to tour life-size 3D objects around the world, and the creation of viewing and bidding experiences that integrate augmented reality, global livestreaming, buy-now channels, and hybrid sales formats. 

Christie’s is dedicated to advancing responsible culture throughout its business and communities worldwide, including achieving sustainability by reducing our carbon emissions by 50% and pledging to be net zero by 2030, and actively using its platform in the art world to amplify under-represented voices and support positive change.